At a press conference on April 7, US President Donald Trump said there will be direct talks on Iran, his administration and the future of Tehran’s nuclear program.
“We will have a direct discussion with Iran,” Trump said. “We have a very big meeting on Saturday.”
Iran denied the in-person meeting, but confirmed that consultations will take place through Oman’s mediation.
Trump’s announcement was a surprise to many, as Iran had long refused to meet in person. So has something changed?
This is everything we know so far.
What did Trump say?
Interestingly, he doubled his speech about being “in-person” and says they’ve begun and the next meeting will be on Saturday.
“A lot of people say, oh, maybe you’re experiencing a representative, you’re not dealing with it directly, you’re dealing with other countries,” he said.
“No, we deal with them directly, and there will probably be trades.
“To do what’s obvious, it would be better to do a transaction,” he said. It is probably linked to attacking regional giants that our allies Israel have visited twice in the last 12 months.
In early March, Trump told reporters that he had requested discussions on the country’s nuclear programme from Iranian authorities, and that if he had not responded it would threaten military action.
Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said at the time that Iran would not negotiate with the “bullying government.”
Trump has previously applied what he calls the “maximum pressure” policy on Iran, consisting of strengthened sanctions.
What did Iran say?
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said indirect consultations will take place in Oman between himself and a special envoy for Middle East Steve Witkov.
“It’s about as much an opportunity as it’s a test,” Araguchi writes to X.
Iran has long said he will not meet directly with the US, but has agreed to work through Omani media outlets, which has been announced by the Omani national media as Sayaid Badr Albusadie.
Iran and the US will meet on Saturday for an indirect, high-level speech in Oman.
That’s about as much an opportunity as it’s a test. The ball is on the American court.
– April 7, 2025, Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi)
Iran’s message vibrated between openness and refusal to negotiate US threatening tactics.
Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian said in September that direct consultations are possible if the US demonstrates that it is suitable for good consultations.
“We are not hostile to the United States. They should actually end their hostility towards us by showing their good intentions,” Pezeschkian said at the time. “We are American brothers too.”
But earlier this week, Araguchi honestly questioned Washington’s request for negotiations, saying on Sunday, “If you want to negotiate, what’s the point of threat?”
What does Trump want to negotiate?
Despite bombing Yemen and allowing Israel to hold free hands in Lebanon and Syria and resume the war with Gaza, Trump says he wants to be seen as a “peacemaker.”
He says he wants to negotiate an Iranian nuclear program to ensure that Iran does not build nuclear weapons.
During his first term in office, Trump actually retracted the United States from the nuclear deal between Iran and global power.
After retracting, Trump reapplied the sanctions. He said the agreement with Iran must also limit not only to nuclear programs but also traditional weapons.
In recent weeks, he says that Iran has effectively supported Yemen’s Huutis and has denounced Iran every time Israel launches an attack on Israel.
It is not clear whether that will occur in negotiations.
Trump may also want to discuss Iran’s increased oil sales to China.
What does Iran want to negotiate?
Iran is interested in sanctions relief to ease economic pressure on Tehran as the country suffers from an economic crisis that has hit all sectors of society.
This includes guarantees that Iran has access to a fast remittance system and international investment.
However, Iran also wants to recognize the nuclear program, which includes some enrichment rights, using centrifuges built since 2018.
That said, the starting positions on both sides are even further apart than when negotiations were first launched in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), widely known as the “Iranian nuclear deal.”
Iran is seeking broader sanctions relief than was offered under Obama, but Trump is threatening to bomb Iran if it doesn’t cut its deals.
Have you already made any deals regarding Iran’s nuclear program?
Yes, JCPOA.
As mentioned above, we have replaced the assurance from Iran on limiting the nuclear program for sanctions relief.
Trump withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018, and his close ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was one of the loudest voices against the JCPOA.
Trump and Netanyahu agree, saying that the JCPOA only bans certain nuclear activities for 10-15 years, and that the JCPOA did not go long enough.
They said Iran’s traditional arms programme should be included in a contract with Iran, and the relief that the Iranian economy receives will merely allow Tehran to fund regional allies to carry out activities that it assumes “threatening Israel’s security.”
How close is Iran to nuclear weapons?
No one really knows.
Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful purpose and does not want to develop nuclear weapons.
Supreme Leader Khamenei issued a religious ruling in 2003 on its effectiveness. It has since been the basis of Iran’s nuclear policy.
Some Western analysts argue that Iran is very close to nuclear weapons in terms of capabilities.
In March 2025, Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, raised concerns over Iran’s uranium enrichment. Iran has a stockpile of uranium enriched at about 60%, and is the only nuclear-free state that has it.
Although Iran claims it does not want nuclear weapons, Iranian leaders have made it clear that the decision depends solely on them.
In March, Khamenei said: “If we want to build nuclear weapons, the US won’t be able to stop it.”
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